The crudeness of the comment almost broke the spell, and as though he sensed it, he brought his thumb to rub across her bottom lip. She rolled her hips again, and her legs trembled. She hovered at the very brink of something, and it was everything she could do not to fall apart here and now, in full sight of the ballroom.
Of course, they were not in full sight; he had positioned them in such a way that they would only be truly seen if someone stumbled across them. But the very prospect of taking such illicit pleasure in such a public place made her want to scream and melt at once. She didn’t know if she loved it or hated it more, and all the while, the pleasure wound tighter.
“That’s the term for it, you know,” he muttered in that throaty baritone of his. “You are going tocomefor me, and I want to watch every second of it.”
She was fairly sure she ought to hate the way he spoke to her, but it merely stirred the fire in her belly still more.
“Sebastian…” she gasped.
“Is that not why you brought me here? So you might tempt me beyond reason and question? So I would give in to every urge and take advantage of you? Well, you have succeeded in your aim, my sweet girl, because you have pushed me beyond the brink of sanity.
“No one knows you’re here. No one knows I’m here. Even if they see you taking your pleasure at my hands, they will never know it’s us. Is this not what you wanted?”
It was, itwas—and also it wasn’t. Now they were here, his thigh grinding against her most delicate place, she could hardly articulate what shedidwant. Because it had, in a way, been preciselythis. She had wanted him to need her so badly, he would do anything.
And yet, somehow, in all her imagining, she had never thought he would do this.
He pressed more firmly against her, and she saw stars.
“Keep quiet,” he rasped. “I love it when you have to hold back. How badly do you want to moan your pleasure at me?”
So badly. So, so badly.Yet if she did, everyone would know.
She would have to do as he said and stay quiet. Perhaps the logical thing to do would be to break away, but she was too far gone now. Too close. Too desperately, urgently close.
She met his gaze in the dim light, chest heaving with breaths she fought to keep quiet, a whimper building in the back of her throat, and his eyes softened. His thumb swiped across her bottom lip once more.
“Good girl,” he coaxed.
She shattered, waves of pleasure crashing through her in overwhelming tides. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and theoretically, she wasn’t able to see if Sebastian was watching her, but she knew, somehow, he was.
He watched her as her body convulsed against his, as she pressed a hand against her mouth to force in the gasps that her climax ushered in her. She felt raw, somehow, sensitive and drained, and overwhelmed—like she couldcrywith the force of her emotions.
All the while, Sebastian’s hand lingered on her face, tilting it toward him so he could drink in her expressions. She didn’t have the mental space or energy to wonder at what he saw, to wonder if he liked the sight of her falling apart, trapped between him and the pillar. Her legs would have given way if he hadn’t held her.
Finally, she opened her eyes, Sebastian’s face swimming into focus above her. Pupils blown wide, his face oddly flushed, he looked a little drunk, if one could be drunk on pleasure alone.
At the sight of him, something clenched inside her, a new awareness of being empty, although she didn’t know how that could be. Every time she shifted against him, new sparks of pleasure erupted at the contact—she was so sensitive, the sensation threatened to overwhelm her senses to the point of pain.
“Sebastian…” she whispered, and he planted a hand beside her, his breath forced suddenly between his clenched teeth. For the first time, she noticed the hot brand of his erection pressingagainst her. Had it been the entire time? When she glanced down at it, he jerked, the hiss from between his teeth lost against the sound of the quartet playing another piece.
He throbbed against her. And a dark stain appeared.
Shocked, she glanced up at him to find his teeth clenched and eyes grim. “Did you just—”
“Yes.” He looked as shaken as she felt. Evidently, he was not accustomed to that happening. And at the mere thought, she felt a wave of heat and gratification pass through her.
He wanted her so much he spoiled his breeches for want of her, out of sheer desire. There could be no denying this.
“Stay where you are a moment,” he said, his lips ghosting beside her cheek as he leaned in. “I need to—” His hand came to her face, but it was so gentle, holding her against him. “I hadn’t expected that. Any of it. You just made me…”
That had been her plan, if not quite executed in this way.
“I know,” she whispered, still catching her breath. He dropped his thigh from between hers, and her skirts fell back into place.
Now, if someone saw them, they would merely see two lovers in a passionate embrace.
But her entire world had shifted.
